IN the aftermath of Leno-Cowen-gate, a lot has been made in the media about the Irish image abroad, and how it has been tarnished by the Taoiseach's antics.

I think that now more than ever, with Irish people once again heading off to foreign shores in search of a new life, the country needs to have a good think about our national identity, and in which light we wish people from other parts of the world to view us.

It is reported that 70,000 Irish people have emigrated in the past year, and there appears to be no let-up in sight. There is a tendency to wave these people off, to wish them the best and from then on (bar Facebook or the odd email) it's a case of out of sight and out of mind. Nobody ever imagines to tell these people that as carriers of a passport issued by the Irish State, there is an onus on them to make the effort to behave themselves.

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